


Heartbreaker

by doubleactionstrike



Category: Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger | Special Police Dekaranger
Genre: Gen, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-16
Updated: 2014-11-16
Packaged: 2018-02-25 14:00:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2624408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doubleactionstrike/pseuds/doubleactionstrike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tetsu is nonbinary. Swan helps them out with their uniform.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbreaker

“How do I look?”

“Come here.”

Tetsu held still as Swan snipped a stray thread.

“You’re so tall…” Swan mumbled around a mouthful of pins. “I’m going to let the hem out a little more.”

Tetsu was quiet as Swan took a pair of scissors to the skirt’s seam.

“It’s a good thing,” Swan said encouragingly, looking up to meet Tetsu’s gaze. “I wish I had long legs to show off, too. And Umeko always says that being taller would let her chase Alienizers faster.”

Swan made quick work of the hem, taking care not to prick Tetsu’s thighs. When she was finished the skirt fit better, coming to a stop just above Tetsu’s knees.

Tetsu was impressed by Swan’s quiet efficiency. Then again, that’s just how Swan was. She was the glue that held the Earth Branch together, the galaxy’s hero who always came through just when the going got impossible. Tetsu had noticed how the other Dekarangers went to Swan first when they needed guidance. Their confidence in her abilities was what made Tetsu decide that she was the person who could help.

\--

“YOU CAN TAKE THE WIG OFF NOW, TETSU,” Ban said on their arrival back to base. “YOU’RE NOT UNDERCOVER ANYMORE." 

“I wanted Swan to tell me if I made a good her,” Tetsu lied. “What do you think, Swan?”

“Very nice,” Swan commented, looking over their Swan disguise with approval, “although next time, let me do your make-up for you.” She stared at them for a touch longer than was comfortable, but at least she wasn’t laughing. “I’ll be here whenever you need me.”

_She knows_.

A dreadful feeling settled in Tetsu’s stomach like a stone. Swan just  _knew_ things like this intuitively, it seemed.

“Next time?” Hoji thought that was funny. “I don’t think Tetsu is planning on making it a habit, Swan.”

“Only when Jasmine isn’t up to the challenge,” Tetsu joked, desperate to divert attention onto someone else.

“You  _do_  look better in her heels than her,” Umeko said.

Jasmine gave them both a smile.

“I still have seniority,” she said sweetly. “So you might want to watch what you say.”

“Help me, Sen,” Umeko shrieked as Jasmine advanced upon her. “Hoji, stop her-!”

_That was close_. 

Tetsu sighed in relief as the Dekabase broke out into the full swing of pandemonium. They carefully removed the wig and shook their hair out.

“Uh Swan, do-d’you want your spare clothes back?” they asked, holding out her coat.

“Let’s go to my station.”

 Swan stood up and made to leave. “You can keep them if you want,” she told Tetsu as they exited the conference room together.

“What- no, no that’s fine.”

They reached Swan’s station. Tetsu followed Swan through the automatic doors and lay the wad of clothes and wig at her worktable.

“Do you think Boss would mind if I took off for the day? We got the guy and since  _I_ did most of the work, I think I need a break.”

Swan settled into her workstation.

“I’d love to leave early just one day. Go on without me, Tetsu, if Doggie has a problem with it he can take it up with me.”

She loaded up the computer. Tetsu stood by her worktable and watched her work for a while, admiring the way she crunched calculations like insects underfoot. “You’re incredible.”

“Thank-you,” she said without missing a beat of typing. “Giant robots don’t launch themselves into space.”

Tetsu fidgeted with the collar of their uniform, reluctant to leave and break the moment. If anyone could understand, it was Swan. And if Swan were supportive then maybe talking to the rest of the team wouldn’t be so bad.

They cleared their throat. “Swan, can I talk to you- if you’re not busy, I mean…”

“Of course.” They had her full attention now. “Here, sit down, this can wait. Tell me what you need.”

_Here goes nothing._

“I don’t like my uniform,” Tetsu explained, taking the seat next to Swan. “It-it doesn’t feel… right.”

"Hmm." She plucked their sleeve. “If it’s too big we can find a replacement. Or if you just need a few adjustments I can tailor it for you-”

“Not like that.” 

_Bad idea bad idea bad idea._  

They were regretting this decision already but there was no point in backing out now. “I don’t like the pants. Can I- do you think it’d be okay to wear the other uniform?”

“I don’t see why not,” Swan said cheerfully. “In fact I think I have a spare lying around here somewhere, Umeko is always forgetting to collect her clothes from the washroom... here, let me go find it”

“You don’t care?” Tetsu was incredulous. 

_Was that all it took?_

“Should I?” Swan had quickly found the uniform-issue skirt and was back. She pressed it into Tetsu’s hands. “I think it’s silly to assign clothes like this, to be honest. We have aliens from all over the galaxy settled on the planet, but a man has to be embarrassed about not wearing pants.

Tetsu’s heart sank. She didn’t really understand after all.

 “No, Swan, that’s not-  _I’m_ not-” They struggled to find the words.

 “It’s not cross-dressing,” they settled on as an explanation. “And I’m not a man. Or a- a woman, either. I like these clothes because they’re nicer and I look better. I mean, have you  _seen_  Ban’s civilian wear?” They were babbling now, but at least Swan still  seemed to be listening. “And you know what, I  _do_  look better in Jasmine’s heels than her, but don’t tell her I said that-”

“Tetsu,” she gently interrupted. “You don’t have to explain anything to me, it’s okay. I’m sorry for misunderstanding earlier.”

Tetsu faltered and looked down at their lap, embarrassed.

“Do you think Boss will care?” they asked miserably. “Or Ban?”

Swan gave their hand a comforting pat. “Like I said, if Doggie has problem with anything he can take it up with me.” She took the skirt back. “You know I just realized, anything of Umeko’s probably isn’t going to fit you. I guess you’re going to witness my tailoring skills after all.”

\--

“Here we go.” Swan drew back to admire her handiwork. “Better?”

“Much better.” Tetsu smoothed the front of the skirt down. “What do you think?”

“You’re very cute.” Swan snipped her scissors victoriously. “If you need help with anything else, let me know. Do you want to show Boss?”

“No, not yet... I thought I might talk to Ban first.”

“TETSU,” said Ban as the automatic doors slid open. “ARE YOU IN HERE LET’S GET SOMETHING TO EAT. HOJI'S PAYING.” He stopped short at the sight of Testu. “?????”

“Doesn’t Tetsu look nice?” Swan asked, laying a hand on their shoulder.

“YEAH, NICE,” Ban agreed, “BUT DON’T WEAR YOUR UNIFORM TO DINNER THAT’S WEIRD.” He turned to leave. “I’LL BE WAITING OUT FRONT WITH HOJI." 

Tetsu shook their head in amazement as the doors closed behind their senior. “I don’t think anything fazes him.” They pointed at the clothes still on Swan’s worktable. “Well, can I borrow those for dinner instead?”

Swan handed the clothes over. “You’re not worried about what Hoji will say?”

“Oh, I think Ban will keep him in check.”

Tetsu stood to leave. “Thanks, Swan,” they told her. “I’m going to tell Boss to let you leave early as much as you want.”

“Then what would the rest of you do? I'll be here whenever you need me."

**Author's Note:**

> Every time cis people make a cissexist joke about cross-dressing a trans headcanon becomes true.
> 
> (I'm afraid I may have made Swan too flippant/ooc but oh well, I've never written for Deka before. Practice makes perfect?)


End file.
